//------------------------------// // You Will Be Assimilated // Story: The Flower Ponies Tame The Changelings // by Cyndaquil //------------------------------// “Have you ever heard of the Honeybird Ponies?” Twilight asked. Fluttershy took a moment to think. “Oh yes,” said she. “I heard that story when I was just a filly.” She then lowered her eyes and her voice dropped to even more of a whisper. “I felt so sorry for them.” “Great.” Fluttershy blinked in surprise. “I mean, since you’ve heard of them maybe you’ll be interested in what I’ve found.” Twilight showed a scroll to Fluttershy, explaining that it was a recently uncovered research journal of Starswirl the bearded. Fluttershy wasn’t surprised. Twilight loved talking about her academic idol, though unlike her Daring Doo fandom, she needed a slightly better segue to get other ponies interested. “A research journal? I don’t follow. Did he research an old mare-y tale.?” “Yes, Starswirl was fascinated by the story.” Twilight tried to reign in her excitement, realizing she was practically yelling at her more timid friend. She spoke softly, “Fluttershy, why don’t you tell me the story as you heard it, then I’ll use that as a lead-in to what I learned in this journal.” Fluttershy took a moment to think. “The story goes that a Pegasus was exploring one day and he discovered a strange fruit with a delicious scent. He brought it up to the clouds, and experimented with it. Eventually he figured out how to make a delicious paste from the beans, and gave some to all of his friends. A few of those Pegasi did something unheard of at that time, they chose to live on land so that they could dedicate themselves to growing and harvesting this plant. For generations they grew vast fields of this plant, covering acres and acres of tropical landscape. They grew ten times what they could use and exported this crop to neighbouring nations for all there other needs. Then one year there was a pestilence. The crop was destroyed, and the civilization fell into ruin. Of course even the more primitive nations at the time wouldn’t have just let them starve. Most believe this is just a cautionary tale, telling farmers to diversify their crops.” Fluttershy nodded her head at the last part. “That’s right,” said Twilight. “Even Starswirl believed that the legend is no more than half true. He believed that the crop was cocoa. It’s well documented that cocoa nearly went extinct in 7000 BC ( before Celestia ). Surviving plants were rediscovered in a distant jungle, or possibly an alternate universe, by Starswirl himself. Cocoa contains a chemical called Phenethylamine. Starswirl believed that the Honeybird ponies needed this chemical like we need water or air.” “That’s really interesting Twilight. What else does it say?” Twilight smiled. She began reciting facts with glee: She mentioned how they were said to be extremely beautiful. How their wings were the inspiration for stain glass windows. That they were supposed to smell of honey. They were probably never really Pegasi, though Starswirl couldn’t be sure of this. They had a queen, a lost Alicorn. “Wow, another princess.” “Tell her the interesting part.” Rainbow Dash interjected. Twilight insisted that Fluttershy wouldn’t want to hear about that. She didn’t know why Rainbow Dash was interested either, though perhaps it was because Nightmare Night was fast approaching. Fluttershy wanted to know. When it became clear that Twilight wouldn’t tell her, Rainbow explained it herself. “Phen… “Phen-ii…” “Phenethylamine,” Twilight offered. “Right. That stuff is also found in the brains of ponies. Starswirl said that some of the honeybird could have survived by changing from being farmers to predators.” A squeak came from Fluttershy. Otherwise the room was silent. xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx “Oww! Get your hoof out of my face.” Lily begged. “Me,” Daisy whined. “I have a least two ponies on my back.” “I think she was talking to me. I’m trying to move, but I can’t see where I’m going. What’s this against my back. It feels like…” Suddenly the pony who had two ponies atop her back felt a thud, as though she’d been dropped from a foot in the air. It turned out they were inside a burlap sack. The sack was untied. Roseluck was the first to find the opening and poke her nose out. Seeing what was outside the sack, she promptly retracted her head back into the sack and told her friends they should just stay there. Their captor knelt next to the sack as his queen approached. Chrysalis, flipped some hair from her eye and turned to her drone. She led the drone off a short distance from the sack, just far enough away to speak in private. “Will they be of use to us?” Chrysallis asked. The drone nodded. “How do you know.” In response, it wiggled it’s behind then bit on the stem of a wild flower, pulling it from the ground and presenting it to the Queen. “They all have flower cutie marks.” Chrysalis shrugged. It wasn’t bad. She would prefer ponies with trees or even vegetables on their flanks. Her other Raiding party was repelled by an orange pony with Apples on her flank and a seriously powerful hind kick. At least the B team didn’t come back empty handed. The drone pointed to the sack, then scratched at the ground, and shrugged his shoulders. “Yes,” said Chrysalis,” convincing them to work for us will be difficult. If we just wanted information I could torture them, however, we need them to be physically able. Camouflage yourself with the terrain and stay close to them. No doubt they will discuss their captivity situation with one another. Listen carefully. Perhaps these Ponies will reveal weaknesses we can exploit.” The drone changed the colour and texture of his chitin armour to match the nearby rocks, then he laid upon the ground, close to the burlap sack. It was a full hour before Daisy, Lily, and Roseluck made their way out of the sack. Roseluck was the bravest of the three, which isn’t saying much. She sniffed at the ground, and walked away from their sack, in an ever widening spiral. Eventually she came to a cliff face, then circled around, discovering that they were on the flattened peak of an impossibly steep mountain. Finally she dared to look beyond the cliff. the peak was a lookout point overseeing the entire changeling hive. Nervously she returned to the others, and reported what she saw. “A changeling hive,” said Lily. “What would changelings want with us?” “They must want to feed on our love,” Daisy offered in her Southern Equestrian drawl. “Yeah, except, uh… none of us have coltfriends.” Daisy and Lily nodded reluctantly. “Wait, said Daisy,” don’t you have something going on with Dr. Whooves.” Roseluck blushed. “I don’t know. Maybe, once, but he’s changed” “Maybe the changelings think the three of us are…” Lily stopped herself, blushing more furiously than Roseluck. “Never mind.” Daisy blushed as well and so did Roseluck when she finally caught on. “Well,” said Roseluck, “If they don’t want to feed, maybe they want to turn us into changelings.” Lily quivered at the suggestion. “Can they do that?” she asked. “Well, maybe. I haven’t heard of it really happening, but I’ve read about it in stories.” Lily shook even more. Daisy was the next to speak. “Are you talking about the one where the pony is in a love triangle with a changeling and a draconequus” She sounded excited as she asked. “No! I stopped reading those books when they introduced crystal changelings.” At this point Lily had her eyes tightly closed. Her body was shaking visibly. Daisy nuzzled next to her and did her best to comfort her terrified friend. “I don’t want to be a changeling,” Lily cried. At this point the camouflaged changeling appeared before them. The three ponies grabbed one another and huddled together. Roseluck spoke for the group. “Please mister changeling, just let us go. We don’t want to join your hive.”

“I’m sure it’s a very nice hive,” Daisy added, “even if none of you glisten.” The changeling sniffed at them, then jumped from the cliffside. Roseluck and Daisy watched as he glided downward, circling the peak then descending into the centre of the hive. “His wingbeats are so fast,” said Daisy, sounding a little too impressed. The drone returned to Chrysalis. It landed a few feet away, then ran to close the remaining distance, stopping suddenly and bowing at his queen. “What did you learn?” the changeling transformed into Lily. He mimicked her quivering form, then slowly, very slowly returned to normal pretending to be terrified as he did. Queen Chrysalis tilted her head, and spoke in an incredulous tone. “They’re afraid we’re going to turn them into changelings?” The drone nodded. Chrysalis thought about this. The worst thing they can imagine is becoming changelings; how insulting. Besides, changing a pony into a changeling would be like turning a dog into a cat. “Where did they even get such an idea?” The drone scanned his head slowly from left to right, then lowered it an notch, returned quickly to the left, and did this again. “I see. On the next raiding party I want you to steal some of these books. I’m curious whether it is truly possible for a pony to become a changeling.” The drone smiled, showing its fangs and mandibles. The two of then returned to their captives together. The flower ponies had been terrified to see just one changeling, so naturally meeting the queen of changelings was even worse for them. “The horror, the horror,” Lily proclaimed just before she fainted. Roseluck looked at her friend on the ground, then turned to Chrysalis. “Please don’t take that personally your majesty. I once saw her faint over a heard of bunnies.” “Oh I actually take it as quite the compliment,” Chrysalis replied. She landed upon her hind legs, and casually curtsied before dropping onto all four hooves. “Hello again Mr Changeling.” Daisy waived her hoof at the drone. Gathering her courage, Roseluck faced the queen. “What do you want with us?” “You will assist my drones in an agricultural endeavour.” said Chrysalis “You want to farm?” Lily asked, while still flat on her back. “I prefer to hunt,” Chrysalis answered. She turned her head, as though in shame. “Lately you ponies have better defences against our kind.” “What if we refuse?” “You will serve us one way or another. Right now you might be more use to us as ponies, but if you simply won’t comply then we’ll make you like us.” Chrysalis turned, facing the drone who was a step behind his majesty. “Show then what you used to look like.” Chrysalis winked and suppressed an urge to snicker. The drone transformed into none other than…